Day 17 of Iran conflict brings strikes on UAE infrastructure and Iraqi militias

2026-03-16 - 21:23

The armed conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran’s regime has entered its 17th day on March 16, 2026. The war, which began on February 28 and resulted in the death of the regime’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei on its first day, has severely disrupted the Middle East and global trade. As the regime—now operating under the leadership of Mojtaba Khamenei—retaliates by effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz to shipping, the regional fallout continues to widen. Today’s updates highlight a divided international response, as European allies rebuffed U.S. requests for military support in the Gulf, while regime-linked drone strikes targeted critical oil and transport infrastructure in the United Arab Emirates. Meanwhile, Israeli and U.S. strikes continue to target regime assets and proxy militias across the region, as human rights organizations begin investigating the heavy civilian toll of the war’s opening days. Roundup of today’s key events U.S. European allies rebuff President Donald Trump’s request to send military ships to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, citing fears of being dragged into a wider war. Successive drone strikes target the UAE’s Fujairah oil trading hub and Dubai International Airport, sparking fires and temporarily halting operations. The Israeli military claims to have destroyed an airplane belonging to the late Ali Khamenei at Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport. Airstrikes near the Iraq-Syria border kill at least six members of the regime-backed Hashd al-Shaabi militia. Amnesty International reports that a U.S. strike on the first day of the war killed 168 civilians, including over 100 children, at a school located next to an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) compound in Minab. US allies reject Trump’s call for military support in the Strait of Hormuz Several European allies have declined requests from U.S. President Donald Trump to send naval ships to the Strait of Hormuz after Iran’s regime effectively closed the vital waterway using mines, drones, and missiles. Germany, Spain, and Italy ruled out participating in any Gulf mission. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius questioned what European frigates could achieve that the U.S. Navy could not, emphasizing that “this is not our war.” Other nations, including the UK and Denmark, expressed a willingness to help find diplomatic solutions to secure freedom of navigation but stressed the need to avoid escalation. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas noted that the bloc is discussing whether the mandate of its existing Red Sea naval mission, Aspides, could be altered to include the Strait of Hormuz, though Greece—which leads the mission—said it would limit its participation to the Red Sea. Drone attacks hit UAE oil hub and Dubai airport A drone strike caused a large fire at the United Arab Emirates’ key oil trading hub of Fujairah on Monday, forcing the suspension of oil loading operations. The strike is the second to hit the facility over the weekend. Fujairah is highly strategic as it sits at the end of an oil pipeline that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz. Over the weekend, the IRGC explicitly warned that U.S. interests in the UAE, including ports and military locations, are considered legitimate targets, and regime state media warned workers to evacuate the Fujairah, Jebel Ali, and Khalifa ports. In a separate incident, a drone attack targeted a fuel tank at Dubai International Airport, sparking a fire and temporarily halting all air traffic. The Dubai government media office announced that flights were gradually resuming and that no casualties were reported, describing the initial halt as a precautionary measure. Israel destroys regime’s strategic aircraft at Mehrabad Airport The Israeli military announced that it has successfully targeted and destroyed an airplane attributed to the now-dead supreme leader Ali Khamenei at Mehrabad Airport in Tehran. In a message posted on X, the Israeli army’s Persian-language account described the aircraft as a “strategic asset.” According to the statement, the plane was frequently used by Khamenei, other senior regime officials, and armed forces elements for domestic and international travel, as well as for facilitating military purchases and communications. Regime-backed militias targeted near Iraq-Syria border An attack on an official security position near Iraq’s western border with Syria has killed at least six members of the regime-backed Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces) and wounded four others. A militia official attributed the attack to Israel, though another official previously claimed the U.S. was responsible for striking the checkpoint, which was also manned by Iraqi army and police forces. The official further alleged that a second strike targeted the area after ambulances arrived to treat the wounded. Regime-backed proxy positions in Iraq have been repeatedly targeted since the war began. Amnesty International investigates deadly school strike in Minab Amnesty International has released a report detailing a deadly U.S. airstrike on an elementary school in Minab, Hormozgan province, which occurred on February 28, the first day of the war. According to the rights group, the strike killed 168 people, including over 100 children. The school building was struck alongside 12 other structures located within an adjacent IRGC compound. Amnesty International condemned the incident as a failure by U.S. forces to take necessary precautions to avoid civilian harm, warning that targeting the school might indicate gross negligence, reliance on outdated intelligence, or a potential war crime. The organization called for transparency and accountability from the U.S. military. At the same time, Amnesty demanded that Iran’s regime immediately remove civilians from the vicinity of military objectives and restore internet access to the Iranian public.